Disability Access Checklist for Faculty

Adapted from The University of Montana’s Faculty Guide to Making Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

This checklist is provided to assist faculty in creating an accessible learning environment for their courses. Students with disabilities may potentially be in every course. It is not required to anticipate every accommodation that any student with a disability might need prior to the request; however, it is advisable to be prepared for the fact that some request for accommodations will be made.

Hold students with disabilities accountable to the same
standards you hold every other student. Provide notice to your students of these standards and of
your willingness to accommodate. This can be done verbally or
within your course syllabus as outlined in the boilerplate.

Verify the existence of disability and need for accommodation
with the Disability Coordinator at 874-6228. The Disability Coordinator will
provide information necessary for an instructor to assure
program access while protecting privacy.

Grant reasonable accommodations as recommended by the
Disability Coordinator. Accommodations are reasonable as long as
course standards are not fundamentally altered and there is a
logical link between the student limitations and the
accommodations.

Permit the student to use auxiliary aids and technology that
ensure access. Depending on the disability, students may use
note takers, sign language interpreters, readers, scribes and
lab assistants. Others may use tape recorders, computers,
assistive listening devices and other technologies for the same
purpose.

Grant testing accommodations as recommended by the Disability
Coordinator. Testing accommodations include, but are not limited
to: extended time, alternative format, distraction-reduced
environment, readers and scribes.

Treat disability-related information with the strictest
confidentiality. Refrain from identifying students with
disabilities unnecessarily to their peers or your colleagues
without student consent.

Other tips which may enhance access to your courses

Select course texts early. Blind and other students with
print disabilities must have adequate time to obtain their texts
in alternative formats.

When requested, provide alternatives to printed information
such as class handouts or reserve materials in the library.
Alternatives to print include: Braille, computer electronic
text, large print, and tape cassettes. If Internet resource or
other technologies used, then they must be accessible.

Make academic adjustments in instruction. For example, for
students with hearing impairments, face the audience while
speaking or use an FM receiver if requested. For students with
visual impairments, real aloud or describe written or graphic
information.

Consult with the student and/or the Disability Coordinator
for more helpful information on making your courses accessible.

When are accommodations not provided?

The college must provide accommodations unless they fall under one of the following two categories:

Fundamental Alteration
If an accommodation lowers the academic standards of the
college, its programs, or courses, the college denies the
accommodation and deems it unreasonable to alter these
fundamental standards as an accommodation for a student with a
disability.

Undue Hardship
If an accommodation costs too much or is impossible to
administer, the college denies the accommodation and deems it
unreasonable. An undue financial burden applies to Miles
Community College system as a whole. Therefore, decisions
regarding undue financial hardship can only be made by the Dean
of Student Services and cannot be made by a department or
program. In every instance, the college reserves the right to
offer other equally effective accommodations.